After years of solo travel and exploring America's back roads, I've encountered my share of strange creatures, unusual insects, and things that made me stop and wonder what on earth I was looking at.
But two encounters in the Southwest desert still make me smile.
One involved a possible alien at the Grand Canyon. The other involved what appeared to be a human hand emerging from the sand near Yuma, Arizona.
And yes, I have photographs.
Close Encounter at the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of those places where you expect to be amazed. Towering cliffs, extraordinary colors, and views that seem to stretch forever.
But on this particular visit, something other than the canyon caught my attention.
Off in the distance stood a strange-looking creature.
At least, that's what I thought it was.
What the heck is THAT?
Now, having spent years traveling and camping across the country, I've come across enough unusual wildlife to know that appearances can be deceiving. Still, I wasn't about to march up and introduce myself.
I approached cautiously.
As I got closer, the creature began to reveal its true identity.
A tree.
An ordinary tree with a decidedly extraordinary appearance.
I had to laugh. There I was, surrounded by one of the greatest natural wonders in America, investigating what I thought might be an alien visitor.
Apparently, even the trees at the Grand Canyon have a sense of humor.
The Mystery Hand in the Yuma Dunes
My second encounter was a little different.
While exploring the desert dunes near Yuma, Arizona, I noticed something protruding from the sand.
It looked like a hand.
And for a moment, I wondered whether I had discovered something far more serious.
This was during a time when people were crossing the nearby border through dangerous desert terrain. I knew that some never survived those journeys.
So the possibility of human remains wasn't something I could casually dismiss.
What am I looking at?
I approached with caution, studying the shape as I got closer.
Then I realized what I was seeing.
Wood.
A piece of weathered wood that nature had shaped into something remarkably similar to a human hand.
The concern gave way to relief. And then came another thought.
Now THAT is a photograph!
The Things We See Along the Way
Both encounters began with the same question: What am I looking at?
Both required a closer look.
And both ended with photographs I probably wouldn't have taken if I'd simply walked past.
That's one of the things I love about back roads photography and solo travel. You never quite know what will capture your attention.
Sometimes it's a magnificent landscape. Sometimes it's a tiny insect. And sometimes it's an alien disguised as a tree or a piece of wood pretending to be a hand.
The world has an extraordinary imagination.
And every now and then, it invites us to look twice.
From the back roads,
Jo
Back Roads Photography | Prepper Shops
